The present invention relates to computer programs and processes for carrying out electronic conversations, and in particular, a process for user-moderation of an electronic conversation.
The use of the Internet as a means of communication has become increasingly popular in recent years. The Internet includes a plurality of means of communication such as: electronic mail (e-mail), bulletin boards and real-time messaging. One of the most popular means of communication on the Internet is on-line xe2x80x9cchatxe2x80x9d. The xe2x80x9cchatxe2x80x9d feature allows two or more persons located at different computers to converse with one another over the Internet. Messages are sent back and forth in a session known as a xe2x80x9cchat room.xe2x80x9d
Chat rooms are well known. Chat rooms are characterized by interactive discussion windows, wherein a number of users on separate computers can communicate by text entry in a shared text window displayed on each of the users"" computers. The information (e.g. text) input from one user of the chat room is relayed to all other users of the chat room. The other users of the chat room can respond by inputting information or text of their own, which is likewise relayed to the other users of the chat room. In this manner, computer users throughout the world can engage in discussions in real time.
Most chat rooms are dedicated to a particular subject (e.g. politics), so that users with similar interests will congregate in certain chat rooms. Additionally, most chat rooms are unmoderated, giving rise to irrelevant comments (e.g. xe2x80x98flamingxe2x80x99), and conversations that do not stay on point. Some chat rooms provide a set of rules by which the content and form of the discussion is controlled. These rules typically comprise a program (which is part of the chat room operating program) which takes different actions based on the responses of the users of the chat room. Further, some chat rooms are even controlled by external moderators based on a set of rules or by the moderator""s own discretion. However, conventional chat rooms do not provide means for moderation of the chat by users of the chat room.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an electronic environment in which users of the environment can moderate their own discussions.
The present invention is a method and apparatus for initiating and controlling an electronic conversation comprising the steps of: initiating a electronic conversation between a plurality of users, each user associated with a respective computer, determining whether a number of users engaging in the electronic conversation exceeds a predetermined number of users and, permitting a specific one of the plurality of users to become a moderator of the electronic conversation for a first time period if the number of users engaging in the electronic conversation exceeds the predetermined number of users, and preventing any of the users from becoming the moderator if the number of users engaging in the electronic conversation does not exceed the predetermined number of users.
The above and other advantages and features of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention which is provided in connection with the accompanying drawings.